Sunday Without God/Kamisama no Inai Nichiyōbi

I’m pretty sure I remember that being said in the show somewhere before ep 4.

The “god decides to grant the wishes of humanity” bit was stated by Hambart during his monologuing in ep 2…the good times for this show.

since in ep 3 he suddenly has an emotional meltdown, decides that he wants to be a punk and decides to die…only to then realize that death sucks but he can’t “unwish” it and gets put out of his punk misery by being beaten to a second death by Gravedigger Mugi’s magic spade

Coulda been Kino’s Journey II but the Japanese just had to be “edgy” and fail because of it. :frowning:

Episode 6 (Sub) is live at ANO

Episode 7 –

spoiler

Ai is kidnapped by men from Goran Academy and from Julie’s reaction, it can’t be a very good place. Actually, it seems more of a prison than a school. Ai eventually finds out that it’s where children with special powers are kept. Ai quickly makes friends and things are explained to her.

The bath scene made me laugh when Alis broke in and had to face the half naked girls and their wrath. And there are two other boys with Alis. I liked the piece of music here. Alis is seeking a way to escape the academy and his ghost is an interesting character. Dee has been watching Ai since Ortus!

Episode 8 –

spoiler

Everyone but Tanya and the twins are all for escaping the school. However, Ai wants everyone to escape together. Once the final plan is in place, the twins decide to go, but Tanya still wants to stay. The escape is put off for one more day to give Ai a chance to convince Tanya.

Ai begins to doubt herself and asks Alis if she can really save the world. Alis and Dee are also trying to save the world, but in a very different way. Alis wants to save the world by destroying it and he tries to explain it to Ai. She doesn’t quite understand and Alis will only tell her so much. Ai still wonders about her own dream.

The time to escape has come and the students gather beneath the school. Ai is still sad that Tanya remained behind. Halfway through the escape, Ai decides to go back. Not to stay forever of course, but just until she can convince Tanya to leave. Luckily, Tanya arrives just then, ready to escape as well. Took her long enough! Ai is really happy to see her too.

The escape is successful and they all make it outside, however, they are caught by Magenta, who orders them to return. None do and Magenta draws a gun on the group. But Alis is ready for her with his own gun and takes out each of her shots. This is the power of Alis – Buzzer Beater – he can hit any target he aims for. Magenta returns inside and leaves the children to their fate.

Soon after, Julie shows up with the van and gives all the kids a lift. They all seem happy to be free. But someone is missing and Ai asks where Scar is. Julie tells her that Scar has abandoned the baby. No! I don’t believe it! I think the empty bottle suggests she may have gone to find milk for the infant. I doubt she’d abandon Celica after everything she went through to get her. At least I hope so.

Episode 7 (Sub) is live at ANO

Episode 9 –

spoiler

Now, why would Ai agree to help Alis destroy the world? I thought she wanted to save the world. I never thought that Alis would have convinced her to see things as he does. But Ai’s first priority is finding Scar.

With Celica as their navigator, they set off to find Scar. Julie confesses that she had been acting strangely while Ai was at Goran Academy. He suggests that perhaps Scar has just followed her natural instincts and gone back to being a lone gravekeeper. But Ai still wants to find her.

They end up in a place where gravekeepers are born. A place called “Story Circle”. It looks dangerous though. Do they follow Celica’s insistence on going forward? Dee decides to leave them and the rest continue on foot. The fog is heavy and it’s hard to see anything. Something seems to be affecting Ai and she’s suddenly alone.

Ai sees an image of her father and mother. Julie and Alis see things too. This is a land of illusion, but hearing Celica’s cries brings Ai out of it. Once that happens, Ai can see Scar. Scar tells them that it wasn’t necessary for them to come and find her, and Ai isn’t sure what to say, but Julie steps up to Scar and asks her about Celica.

Scar seems to be very afraid of the baby. Another flash of lightning finds Scar crying in Julie’s arms. She looks very emotional for one that isn’t supposed to have any emotions. Even Julie gently reminds her that gravekeepers don’t cry. She then looks happy to see Celica. Does this mean that Scar isn’t a gravekeeper anymore? Is that why she ran away? Julie vows to protect Scar. Ai asks if Julie is proposing to Scar and Julie says that he will protect Ai and Alis as well. It looks like Scar accepts since she’s back in the van with them and holding Celica close to her. And it looks like they have a new destination - Ostia.

Episode 10 –

spoiler

Ostia seems to be a world within a world that really doesn’t exist, yet it does, and it’s this world that Alis wants save by destroying it. It’s a very difficult path to the other side. The city is destroyed and has been abandoned, but it lives on behind a barrier. And once past the barrier, no one can leave. Alis gives Ai a last chance to back out, but she promised to help him and where she goes, Julie and Scar will follow.

Once inside, they get to experience the beautiful city as it once was. Alis takes everyone to his house where Dee awaits Alis, but this is a different Dee. She’s alive! She’s brought everyone winter clothes and expects to see Ai at school the next day.

Julie would like to know what is going on, but Alis can’t explain just yet. I wonder how it was that Alis first escaped the barrier, but Dee came out as a ghost, and also how Alis can come and go as he pleases. The next day, Ai joins the class as Julie and Scar explore the town. Scar finds it very peaceful. Ai later tells Alis that someone may have wished this world into existence. Alis confirms that and tells her that it was the students of Class 3-4.

Alis later tells everyone that the world is roughly on a one year time loop, which resets itself at the end of every July. And it’s been like this for fourteen years. He gives everyone some more details and tells them about things he’s tried, but no matter what he does, he can’t free the students. He then shocks them by saying that he’s brought over thirty five thousand people to this world over the years. It’s sad that Alis would like to grow up and age, but he can’t. I also have the feeling that once this world is destroyed, he may disappear as well.

Alis also tells them that in this world, Dee is an enemy. It actually looks like Dee was in an accident at the school and may even be dead. Perhaps it was her wish to live that created this world, and I can see why she would be an enemy in that case.

Episode 8 (Sub) is live at ANO

Ep 8

spoiler

So, when we last see Scar, she appears to be all happy for having a child, or whatever bizarre reason, and when Ai escapes the school and meets back up with Julie, Scar had abandon the baby… Based on the preview for Ep 9, Scar is having an emotion break down.

So yea, it seems if a gravedigger on this show has any real presence, they’re some kind of exception to the rule on how we’re supposed to think they should be. Or we’re seeing a new form of racism… :stuck_out_tongue:

I was wondering about that as I’ve seen it come up in reviews around the 'net.

Their stone-cold, “emotionless robot” thing is what TVTropes calls a “told ability” as we’re told that it is there but every time it is supposed to be seen it isn’t (and the opposite is). I was hoping with some follow-through on the “emotional robot” thing.

Episode 11 -

spoiler

Dee has been destroying any clues that Alis had brought in to this world, but Ai is still determined to find out why this world exists. And she has to succeed before the world is reset. Dee thinks that Ai is bound to fail. She just doesn’t know Ai very well!

Ai celebrates her thirteenth birthday with all of her new friends. Alis had polished her shovel and Ai had almost forgotten that she was a gravekeeper. She makes a wish for Alis and Alis makes some strange comments about wishes. He also tells Ai a little about Dee.

The time rolls around for the school festival and with Ai now in the class, the usual tie is broken in favor of a refreshment stand over a play. The world doesn’t seem to like that. Alis places more clues in the library and Dee removes them as she follows him around. Ai is following as well and notices that Dee missed one of the clues. Reading it, she finds out that one student had died and seventeen went missing. And it happened on the day the world was reset! Unfortunately, Dee catches her before Ai can read the name of the student that had died. Dee takes the paper, but Ai already guesses that it was Dee that had died.

Dee has no reason to deny it and tells Ai the story. She also tells Ai of the wish the class had made to pretend the incident never happened. Thus, this world was created, complete with Dee. Ai realizes that if this world is destroyed, Dee will disappear. Dee knows that Alis is trying to save everyone by destroying this world, but she would rather see the outside world destroyed instead. Hence, she became the witch that whispers. And her whispers urge people to let the outside world fall to ruin.

Ai knows now that Dee loves Alis, and she wants to try and save Dee somehow so that she can be with Alis, once the world is destroyed. Ai promises to find a way, but Dee says that she can’t tell Alis, because Alis doesn’t know that Dee is dead. If he did find out, Dee is sure that he would choose saving the others over her. And that would tear her apart. She even killed Alis once to reset him and wipe his memories. I’m getting the distinct feeling now that everyone in this class is dead, although I’d like to be wrong. Dee begs Ai to help her save her world, rather than destroying it.

Ai has a lot to think about as she later sits in her room, holding her shovel. She hasn’t agreed to help Dee, but she hasn’t told Alis anything about Dee either. Then comes the day that Dee finds Alis having fun with Ai, playing basketball. Seeing Alis laughing with Ai breaks something inside of Dee. No longer does his smile belong to Dee alone. Ai asks Alis how he’d feel if he had to sacrifice someone in order to save the world and Dee’s worst fear is confirmed, when he says it wouldn’t bother him. But in her heart of hearts, Dee knew he would say that.

Episode 9 (Sub) is live at ANO

Episode 12 –

spoiler

Ai is changing Dee’s world, and the jealous Dee decides to do something about that. She will create her own world. She meets Ai and tells her that she will tell Alis everything. But when she does meet with Alis, she wants Ai there with her. However, I’m sure that she has no intention of telling Alis anything.

Dee walks into the classroom with a gun and shoots the teacher. The students are stunned, but they are even more shocked when the teacher wakes up and is fine. She promises to help them remember why. The students begin to remember what happened that day and the wish they made. Alis and Ai are waiting for Dee and notice that something is wrong.

Dee has manipulated her classmates into resetting the world! Alis knows immediately what is happening. He tells Ai and runs off to find Dee. In the classroom, the students begin to relive the events that led to Dee’s death. Alis and Ai do not reach the classroom in time and Dee falls from the window. Not only does she intend to reset the world, but herself as well. But something strange happens. When Dee looks down, she sees Alis lying dead on the pavement below.

Suddenly, Alis grabs her hand and prevents her from falling. As he tries to pull her back through the window, he slips and falls with her as well. But it is Ai and the rest of the class that grabs him from behind and prevents the tragedy. With that, the mist that resets the world recedes and Ai tells him that she’s figured everything out. Alis confirms it and tells the story. Dee didn’t remember, but it was Alis that died.

Alis tells Dee that she can return to the outside world, but she refuses to leave him. She wants to reset the world again, but Alis won’t let her, not wanting to lose the memories he has of traveling around with her. Alis sends everyone out into the world with fond wishes and asks them to remember him. Everyone begins to cry as Ai asks Alis if there isn’t some way for him to return as well. But Alis just shakes his head. Dee tells Ai that this is typical Alis. He would save others above saving himself.

Alis thanks Dee and tells her that he was happy that they were together for a time. As the world begins to disappear, Alis says his goodbyes and sends everyone out, one by one, until only Dee and Ai are left. Dee asks Alis for a final smile and he obliges her. With tears in her eyes, Dee runs from the room. Julie and Scar manage to escape with the baby, confident that Ai will be all right. Alis urges Ai to leave, but not until she has a final say. Ai calls Alis cruel. After all, he brought her here to help him disappear.

Alis apologizes to Ai and she asks him again if he doesn’t want to live with everyone else. He tells her that’s impossible – that he’s already been dead for fourteen years and was buried in the outside world by a gravekeeper. In tears, Ai tells Alis that she wants to save him. She runs into his arms and hugs him, saying again that she wants to save him. Alis kisses her, and bidding her farewell, pushes her through the door.

The episode ends with Ai standing at a grave with her shovel. The name “Alis Color” is on the headstone. Someone is standing next to Ai. Alis sighs and asks Ai why she had to save him. Ai just looks at him and smiles. This was another good anime. Although I cried through most of the last episode, my tears turned to happy ones to see Ai with Alis at the end. It was a really nice journey and I’m sorry to see it end. I’d love to see more of Ai’s story. She still has a lot to do to save the world!

Episode 10 (Sub) is live at ANO

I really need to get caught up on this one. I really enjoyed the first half in a way I haven’t enjoyed a show in the last few seasons. I think it was probably my favorite of the season.

Well, the “cheap knockoff of Kino’s Journey” description I’ve seen/heard about this show was, now that it has ended, pretty darn accurate. Perhaps if episodes 1-3 hadn’t happened, if I were into lolicon or if I hadn’t seen Kino’s Journey/Mushi-shi prior to this I would have enjoyed it.

Perhaps the predictable Hilary Haag dub will help redeem it. I did my part to get it dubbed :wink:

I take it I’m not the only one that heard Hilary Haag’s voice in their head as they were watching this…lol

Nope lol. It doesn’t seem like a Monica Rial/Luci Christian role to me (Few others come to mind).

I actually think that it’s been over a month since I heard anything with Haag in it. I’m still a tad surprised that she wasn’t featured in AKB.

Episode 11 (Sub) is live at ANO

Episode 12 :end: (Sub) is live at ANO